Can you copyright "Ideas"?

Last updated on: February 28, 2006 at 2:48 am By Desh Kapoor

This is a crazy law suit! It says that the idea fromthis 1982 book was copied.. so is there a copyright for an IDEA?? The author of The Da Vinci Code "lifted the central theme" of the bestselling novel from a non-fiction book about Jesus and the Catholic Church, the high court was told today. Writers Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh are claiming that the American novelist Dan Brown appropriated themes and ideas they explored in their 1982 book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail They are suing their own publishers, Random House, which is also Mr Brown's publisher, for breach of copyright in the potentially far-reaching case. Read more

H&eRror block?

Last updated on: February 25, 2006 at 6:50 am By Desh Kapoor

H&R block - the company that helps individuals in the US with the taxes, has messed up with its own taxes!It underpaid taxes to the tune of USD 32 million! Honestly, that is plain dumb! Why would you jeopardize something that is your bread and butter!? H&R Block also said the costs of settling a number of class-action lawsuits and slower-than-expected business in its tax and mortgage arms caused its third-quarter profit to drop 68 percent and forced the company to lower annual revenue estimates. The company reported its earnings after financial markets closed on Thursday. Read more

"Allah" in a name? Cant register on Yahoo!

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 9:50 pm By Desh Kapoor

Slowly but surely, the world is hurtling towards a scenario where poliltical correctness and brashness will collide for various religions - specifically the "Mid-east three"! How the future world will handle this friction will test the survival of civilization as we know it!A man says his attempts to sign up for an e-mail account with Yahoo failed when he used his name, which includes the letters a-l-l-a-h -- as in Allah, the Arabic word for God. Read more

Islamic world and Oil Futures

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 8:03 pm By Desh Kapoor

Oil reserves are on the way down. World is clamouring for aternative resources for energy. It can be predicted that Oil & Gas, as we know it, may not remain the prime choice in, say, the next 100 years for energy. This will be a BIG challenge to the world - the West most - to get to that level. It is possible and requires coordination in many areas but the convergence in next 100 years is a strongly plausible!The wealth of oil has provided a false sense of security to the nations who have most of it - the Middle East and Latin American. These countries now have socialist or theocratic autocrats or virtual ("democratically elected") dictators! They will rule the roost when the prices go up in the medium term time frame for next 50-60 years. The profits and wealth generation opportunities will abound. When such a scenario unfolds the rulers became more cavalier and so more vain. This obviates any thought of institution-building or creation of long term human and education infrastructure. Read more

Spending by Tourists up

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 7:13 pm By Desh Kapoor

These are useful stats - shows things are improving on the tourism front.Spending by international visitors to India on their Visa card has increased by 25 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1,680 crore ($372 million) during October-December 2005.Retail goods accounted for the highest spend (34 per cent), followed by accommodation (27 per cent), transport (9 per cent), furnishing (2 per cent) and healthcare (1 per cent).Out of the 1.9 million transactions made on Visa cards, retail and wholesale outlets accounted for nearly 800,000 transactions, accommodation venues accounted for 342,000 transactions and restaurant, food and beverage outlets accounted for 114,000 transactions. Read more

Over 1 million Booty to kill MF Hussain

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 7:05 pm By Desh Kapoor

What's up with these guys? Nothing much to do in life or what? Rs 51 crore (over a million USD) for killing a person is ridiculous! Just go your merry way instead of sweating about a third rate painter... whom I cannot even call an artist!The Hindu Personal Law Board on Wednesday announced a Rs 51 crore reward for eliminating artist M F Hussain. Meanwhile, a Congress minority cell leader offered Rs 11 lakh to any 'patriot' to chop off the painter's hands for hurting Hindu sentiments. Read more

Business Plan Assumptions

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 6:53 pm By Desh Kapoor

Technorati : Business Planning Del.icio.us : Business Planning Ice Rocket : Business Planning Flickr : Business Planning Buzznet : Business Planning 43 Things : Business Planning Read more

Moscow Market Roof Crash: 47 Killed

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 3:22 pm By Desh Kapoor

This is yet another roof collapse in Europe! This season structures from IceSkating Rink to Mines to Markets seem to be caving in! The concave, snow-covered roof of a large Moscow market collapsed early Thursday, killing at least 47 people and forcing rescuers to clear away concrete slabs and metal beams to reach possible survivors trapped in the wreckage, officials said. A fire broke out on the edge of the collapse site mid-afternoon, sending acrid smoke billowing into the air. Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov said it erupted when a spark from an electric saw used to cut through metal ignited some paint, and that it posed no threat to anyone trapped in the wreckage. Read more

Separated at Birth?

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 5:07 am By Desh Kapoor

Most Emailed Yahoo Pic

Last updated on: February 23, 2006 at 5:02 am By Desh Kapoor

Actress and model Vida Guerra poses as she arrives as a guest at the premiere of the new comedy film 'Madea's Family Reunion' in Hollywood February 22, 2006. Read more